The deadline to sign up as a candidate on the Primary election ballots passed at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9. As the deadline expired, 29 Republican and four Democrat candidates had formally declared their intentions to seek public office in Liberty County.
The most-heated race is for judge of the newly-created Liberty County Court at Law No. 2. Vying for that seat are five Republican candidates – Terry Denise Bacon, Wesley N. Hinch, Zack Zbranek, Farrah Hernandez Harper and Michelle Mangum Merendino.
Liberty County District Attorney Logan Pickett faces a battle for his seat from challenger Jennifer L. Bergman, an attorney based in Cleveland. Both candidates are Republican.
County Attorney Matthew Poston, also a Republican, will sail through the election season as no one signed up to run against him from either political party. Also unopposed are Sheriff Bobby Rader and Tax Assessor-Collector Ricky Brown, both Republicans.
Four Republican candidates and one Democrat candidate will battle for votes in the race for Pct. 1 commissioner. Democrats have put forward Ronald W. Blake as a candidate while Republicans have four candidates – Bruce Karbowski (incumbent), Toby Wilburn, James Carson and Rodney A. Williams.
In the Cleveland area, three candidates have signed up for Pct. 3 Commissioner – Republicans James “Boo” Reaves and David S. Whitmire, and Democratic challenger Barbara E. McIntyre.
Other candidates for public office are:
Constable Precinct 1
- Tammy Bishop – R
- Bill Griffin – R
- Jacob Cantu – R
- Wayne Moody – R
- Martin Trahan – D
Constable Precinct 2
- Les Hulsey – R
Constable Precinct 3
- Mark “Maddog” Davison – R
Constable Precinct 4
- Robert “Robbie” E. Thornton Jr. – R
- Gordon Bean – R
Constable Precinct 5
- S. David Hunter – R
Constable Precinct 6
- Zack Harkness – R
- John Joslin – R
- Cedric McDuffie – R
Liberty County Democratic Party Chair
- Michael Mark – D
Liberty County Republican Party Chair
- Ryan Daniel – R
While the applications for these candidates has been received, they will not be accepted until voter registration is verified and checks to cover sign-up fees have cleared, if applicable.
We will expect David Whitmire to accomplish things Boo Reaves never had intentions of doing. New roads in Plum Grove is an easy, responsible place to start.